Florida Atlantic women’s basketball (10-14, 2-9 AAC) is a little more than halfway through its American Athletic Conference schedule for the 2024-25 season.

The Owls are currently ranked 12th in the AAC, tied last with Wichita State. In the preseason poll, the Owls were picked last in spot 13 in the conference going into their second year in the AAC. 

FAU opened their conference play with a loss versus Tulane University, followed by a win at East Carolina University. After the victory, the Owls proceeded to go on a seven-game losing streak. After facing off against the reigning AAC Conference Champions, the Rice University Owls, FAU snapped their losing streak and got the win at home, 66-61.

The victory against Rice showed flashes of FAU’s potential, but consistency remains a significant challenge for head coach Jennifer Sullivan and her team. 

With only seven games remaining in conference play, the Owls must sharpen their execution on both ends of the floor to climb the AAC standings.

The Owls have suffered the loss of good players to injuries early in the season, such as freshman guards Erin Rodgers and Sydney Mains. Nonetheless, FAU has persevered and pushed through its season despite these temporary setbacks.

“Erin came out the gate really hot for our team and unfortunately suffered an ACL tear at Christmas, but she was phenomenal,” said Sullivan. “We really expected [Sydney] to be a big contributor to it this year, but she also had to undergo knee surgery; just in terms of their personalities, they’ve been great.”

Sullivan also touched on the fact that she has not had to make any drastic changes to the Owls’ playing style on either side of the floor. She’s only made minor defensive tweaks due to injuries.

With a great team comes great players, and below are some key players in charge of ensuring success for the Owls this season:

Mya Perry (Guard): Perry is the leading scorer for the Owls, averaging 15.4 points per game. Perry’s ability to create her shots and distribute the ball makes her the backbone of the Owls’ offense. Perry also leads the Owls in three-pointers made this season with 52.

However, Perry was not shown on the team’s box score for the last three games, starting when the Owls traveled to New Orleans to play Tulane. Perry was only shown on the Owls’ box score after losing to Wichita State on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Sullivan confirmed with the University Press that Perry had suffered a concussion, so she was ruled out for those two games.

Stefanie Ingram (Guard): Ingram’s ability to score and pass the ball has played a huge role in the Owls’ success this conference season. Ingram leads the Owls in assists per game with 4.8; her hustle on both ends provides much-needed energy for the team.

“I believe she’s second or third in the league for assists; she has been a great point guard for our team throughout the year; she’s been terrific,” said Sullivan.

Ta’Ziah Jenks (Forward): Jenks’ rebounding and defensive presence have been vital for the Owls. The University of Cincinnati transfer leads the Owls in rebounds per game, averaging six per game.

The Owls will soon face tough conference matchups, including games against the No. 1 team in the conference, the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners, and a rematch with the University of South Florida Bulls, the No. 3 team in the conference. 

As the Lady Owls gear up for the remainder of their conference schedule, fans will watch closely to see if they can rise to the challenge and finish strong in AAC play. 

Sullivan remains optimistic for the Owls’ final seven games before they head to the AAC tournament on March 8. 

“This group has been just great to work with. They show up to practice, wanting to get better,” said Sullivan. “We were in a slump and lost seven games in a row, but then we got a big home win against Rice. I’ve just been really, just really blessed and fortunate to work with this group and the staff and continue to enjoy it every day.”

Angelina Martell is the Sports Reporter for the University Press. Email her at amartell2023@fau.edu or contact her on Instagram @angieemartell for information regarding this or other stories.